Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, delivered a rather unexpected reaction when a reporter questioned her about the significance of President Donald Trump’s proposed meeting location with Putin.
The 79-year-old Republican has been advocating for peace in Eastern Europe, and despite the previous summit’s failure in Alaska last August, he remains undeterred. Furthermore, being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month, after years of pursuing it, hasn’t dissuaded him.
This new series of peace discussions is anticipated to wrap up in Budapest, Hungary. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is eager to join the talks, although it’s uncertain whether Putin would agree to his participation.
S.V. Dáte, HuffPost’s White House correspondent, questioned Leavitt on whether the Trump administration was aware that the previous agreement made between Russia and Ukraine in Budapest had been breached by Putin.
Leavitt shared Dáte’s text message on Twitter, which stated: “Is the president aware of the significance of Budapest? In 1994, Russia promised, in Budapest, not to invade Ukraine if it gave up the nuclear weapons it inherited when the Soviet Union dissolved.
“Does he not see why Ukraine might object to that site? Who suggested Budapest? Thanks.”
The press secretary responded with an unexpected and terse reply: “Your mom did.”
While some may find it humorous, it highlights the unprofessional nature of the Trump administration’s interactions with the press.
Dáte then asked: “Is this funny to you?”
Leavitt answered: “It’s funny to me that you actually consider yourself a journal [sic]. You are a far left hack who nobody takes seriously, including your colleagues in the media, they just don’t tell you that to your face. Stop texting me your disingenuous, biased, and bulls*** questions.”
Commenting on the exchange, user Mike Young criticized the press secretary, accusing Trump’s administration of ‘testing the boundaries of surrealism’.
He commented: “Somewhere in the Constitution, buried beneath the ink and parchment, there’s a faint whisper that says, ‘maybe don’t say ‘your mom’ on behalf of the United States.'”
Young suggested that Leavitt’s response was more akin to a freshman’s reply in a group chat than the official voice of the White House.
He elaborated: “This isn’t strength, it’s slapstick. The role of Press Secretary isn’t to clap back at reporters; it’s to articulate policy on behalf of 330 million people. Turning the podium into a punchline doesn’t make you bold; it makes the country look unserious.
“You can tell the truth with wit, but you cannot lead with spite. Professionalism is not censorship. Accountability is not activism. And if your communication strategy requires explaining why ‘your mom’ is now statecraft, you may have lost the plot entirely.
“America once defined the modern press conference. Now we’re testing the boundaries of surrealism. This is not the golden age of communication; it’s a bad improv set in the Situation Room.”
Ouch! It seems Karoline might not have emerged in the best light here. Perhaps reconsidering the approach would be wise.
The White House has been contacted for comment.